Day at the Beach
by The Great Rhapsode
Summary: After living with Chrom has been a bit... hectic. Robin decides to take his wife, Maribelle, and children out on a day at the beach. Also, Maribelle seems quite interested in making sandcastles, which definitely makes Robin a bit curious. Robin x Maribelle Oneshot.


_**A/N Hello all, Rhapsode with another Fire Emblem oneshot, and this time, its based on awakening. Now Robin x Maribelle was a pairing I didn't think of all that often, but I do have to thank one of my favorite writers on this site,**_ ** _Maximillian Havisham (great writer, check him out) who definitely got me to consider these two more. I'm still relatively new to writing fics for Fire Emblem, so if you like this, I'll try to make more in the future._**

On the white shores of a simple Ylissean beach, Robin, the Shepherds' tactician, stood barefoot in the white sand. He smiled with absolute contentment as he inhaled the seabreeze, dressed for the occasion in only black trunks and a bit of sunscreen for his exposed upper half. Robin had gone through much tribulation recently: finding out he was the vessel for the fell dragon, and forcing himself and his loved ones to do battle with his own future self. Just the thought of a version of him causing so much pain was enough to make him wince.

The white haired strategist quickly shook his head, in an attempt to shake off those thoughts. For as bad as that experience was, it was all in the past. His friends still lived, Grima's brand was gone, and he was now building a different future.

 _Future..._

With that thought running through the tactician's mind, he glanced behind him to see a couple of pieces from the future that graced his life, his children from Grima's timeline, Morgan and Brady.

Brady was the older child and had inherited his father's white hair. While he appeared quite thuggish, he was a sweetheart and great violinist. Though he wouldn't let anyone see beyond his usual rigid exterior, least of all his younger sister, Morgan.

Morgan had inherited her mother's blond hair and while she was quite the cutie, she could also be a child sized whirlwind. From her bottomless enthusiasm, to her tendency to be outspoken, to simply a fact that someone as young as her had a frightening amount of magic skill.

The two siblings were currently unloading a horse-drawn wagon that contained their beach necessities: towels, fishing rods, plastic buckets, dishware, firewood, and umbrellas. While Brady was hoisting a large blue cooler over his soldier, Maribelle had begun to urgently warn him not the strain his back. Of course, Brady had told his ma not to worry because he was 'a real man!'

 _Maribelle…_

Maribelle was Robin's wife and, very evidently, future mother of his children. When they had met, Robin hadn't thought much of her, she was a noble and she seemed to live up to those expectations. She was prideful and a times a little blunt. But to Robin's surprise, the curly haired blond was actually quite nice and courteous to her fellow Shepherds. Maribelle had fascinations with the lower class and she had also felt drawn to the tactician for his lack of background. Robin had no memory of where he came from, so to Maribelle, he was truly neutral party whose personality was not laced with the cultures of nobleman or commoner.

They spent many days together, having etiquette classes and intimate walks in camp where the white haired tactician allowed Maribelle to go on for hours about her childhood. Robin proposed to her two weeks before they face Grima, it was traumatic for her to see her soon-to-be-husband as such a monster, but at the end, Robin assured her that he would never become that beast, not as long as he had Maribelle in his life. After the war, Chrom had been kind enough to provide them lodging in his castle, as well as access to all of its amenities.

While the castle was quite beautiful, it was rather unsuited for Robin and Maribelle. Chrom was often checking on Robin while he was going through the castle library, making sure the tactician had found everything he needed, even after Robin's many pleas to the exalt that he was fine. Guards at times feared Morgan was becoming a risk to the royal family's safety given her "curiosity" in new dark magic. Then there was the unforgettable moment of Sumia during er training regiment, crash-landing through Brady's window while he was trying to tune his violin.

Robin had noticed things getting so straining that he had even overheard Brady telling Morgan that he was thinking of doing like Owain, Sevra, and Inigo, and moving out.

All and all, Robin was starting to think that maybe the family could get out and enjoy some time away from the crowded palace. Robin's future children seemed rather ecstatic, with Brady excited that he could go fishing for the first time in a long time, and Morgan decided she'd like to learn how to fish from her older brother, which only got the white haired boy to moan and beg Morgan not to use any magic while they fish.

Maribelle seemed very interested in the prospect of going to the beach as well. Which wasn't too odd, Robin knew his wife wasn't so vain a noble as to think getting covered in beach sand was repulsive. However, what threw the tactician for a loop was her remark about sandcastles.

" _Sandcastles… If we go to the beach then we can build sandcastles, yes?"_ Maribelle had said with an oddly interested tone.

Robin just smiled and agreed to it. Sure they might be a bit old than the usual person who had a vested interest in sandcastle building, but then again, Maribelle was close friends with Lissa. Prehaps the younger blond's childishness had rubbed off on Maribelle?

At the beach, Maribelle was dressed for the occasion in a pearl white one-piece bathing suit, with pink rose petals accessing the edges. She had also been carrying her own personal white parasol with her that was currently open, shielding herself from the sun's rays.

Brady and Morgan however, were wearing pastel floral shirts over their swimsuits. As well as carrying fishing supplies with them as they embarked on their own little adventure.

"Pa!" called Brady. "We're going to be off near that dock over there, we'll come back when we gots a good haul!" Brady had pointed to a dock that stretches into the ocean ever so slightly. Even if it was within eyesight, it was still a descent walk away, which would mean the parents and children would be cut off from each other for a while.

"Brady, don't say 'gots!' You say 'when we have gotten!'" corrected Maribelle as she called out to her rough around the edges son.

"Alright, Ma!" hollered Brady as he and Morgan walked away.

Robin just sighed at his families usual antics. While he had definitely gotten Maribelle to lighten up on her 'etiquette classes,' she still made it apparent she'd like her future son to speak with proper grammar.

The tactician turned to face his wife, and he couldn't help but take in her gorgeous figure. He was decently taller than her, but she was clearly filled out. All evident of her noble bloodline and how it could produce such visually pleasing humans. Then add on, her half turned upper body was looking out towards the sea as white light poured over her, it was some that would stir up envy in any goddess of beauty.

Robin brought himself back to focus as Maribelle fully turned herself towards him, slightly thanking the gods that he was married to curly haired blond. For if he wasn't. His perverse staring would get him well acquainted with the back of her hand. The noble's eyes narrowed in on Robin.

"Well now that they're gone, we should start working on sandcastles, darling." Maribelle said in voice that Robin's analytical side could tell had hints of anxiety.

Robin ran to grab the plastic bucket. He had no real memory of making sandcastles as a child, but the idea was simple enough for him to comprehend. He started to shovel the soft, white sand into the bucket with his hand, once again marveling at the softness of it in compared to any that was common in Plegia. He was stopped however, by his wife, who had already sat on her knees, with her parasol off to the side, and only a few feet from the tactician.

"What are you doing?" Maribelle asked in bewilderment. "Why are you starting with the tower piece? We haven't even laid our foundation, it would be a disaster if the we piled on a tower that wasn't even connected to the home!"

Robin was truly lost for words at that moment. His wife had put a lot of clear thought into this, talking like construction foreman over sand. He knew Maribelle could act difficult at ties, so he decided to play along.

"Sorry." the white haired man said in a half-hearted way. "Is there something you'd like me to do instead?"

Maribelle, pursed her lips for a moment. She had ceased her smoothing out of the sand in a square shape that would serve as their sandcastle's foundation. Her features softened as she finished her contemplation.

"Yes. Please start digging out a small section of sand a few inches away from the castle. Then fill it with some water from the ocean to mimic that of a lake and finally, draw a small line that mimics the placement of a bench." commanded Maribelle.

Robin started to dig, and as he did, his train of thought began to diverge, ' _why is she acting this way?'_ Maribelle had her high maintenance tendencies, but she was never unmanageable. Come to think of it, she'd been acting strange for a few weeks now.

Back at Chrom's palace, Maribelle was starting have multiple umbridge's with such trivial matters. She had snapped at a maid who accidentally spilled some tea while pouring it, she gave an icy glare to Sumia's personal pegasus while it wheezed in its stable, and she had even threw one of Lissa's prank frogs against a wall in frustration. Robin had only thought that this was simple stress accumulating with the conditions they were living under, but this trip should've cleared this right up. Instead Maribelle was now acting even more authoritative than usual.

The white haired tactician looked over his shoulder to see just how much progress his wife had made. She had successfully drawn out a tall square building that, judging by her squares that were etched onto the sides that likely simulated where the windows would be going, was about two stories tall.

"Wow…" Robin said underneath his breath, admiring his wife's craftsmanship. While he looked over the midst piece, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in Maribelle's skill, even for something that seemed as trivial as sandcastle making.

But something caught the tactician's eye. Maribelle was tensing up, her eyes were forming tears in their corners and she had begun to clutch the sand underneath her tightly.

"N-No…" Maribelle said in a choked voice. "It's all so wrong!"

"What? But it looks great." questioned Robin aa he heard Maribelle's cries.

"I messed up on the exterior coating. The entrance way resembles a more stone based layer work, while the rest all follows a natural wooden finish!"

Robin cocked his head to the side slightly. "It's not a big deal." he said in a soothed tone.

"Yes it is! I wouldn't want our children to grow up in some kind of hoval that looks patched together like this!" Maribelle's tone was now truly one of fury as her face started to glow red, and it was not due to the sunlight.

"We're not raising our kids in this house-"

"BUT WE COULD!" Screamed Maribelle.

The curly haired woman found herself needing to compose after cutting off her husband.

"I'm… Dreadfully sorry, Robin. That was uncalled for." Maribelle's tonal shift from reage filled to remorsefully had caused Robin to scooch closer to her and tentative put his hand on her shoulder.

"What's going on Mari?" Robin asked, using his little nickname for her in the hope it would make her more approachable, knowing full-well Maribelle was acting this way over a lot more than simply sandcastles.

Maribelle had her eyes closed as she exhaled softly. She didn't even look in Robin's eye as she spoke.

"I'm pregnant... With what will likely be Brady." Maribelle managed to say with only a small pause. "I want to move out of Lord Chrom's castle. I want to have a home to call our own as we raise our children."

After hearing that, the recent over-reaction's Maribelle had were starting to make more sense to Robin. Being with child and living in Chrom's very animated castle would obviously make his wife feel anxious. It probably didn't help her confidence hearing that Brady was already deciding to live of his own. Morgan would probably do the same not too much later.

Robin lifted Maribelle after whispering in her ear to follow him. He guided the two into the ocean. The water was rather cool and the tactician could feel the blond shiver slightly as she grew acclimated to the temperature. They stood there together in the more shallow part of the water as the vestiges of the tides splashed against their figures. Maribelle pulled herself closer to her husband and looked at him with tender eyes.

"Robin, I'm sorry for my uncalled for outburst. I was just starting to grow worried about the prospect of raising a child." Maribelle said with true regret in her voice.

"It'll be fine, Mari." comforted Robin as he took ahold of her hand.

"How can you be so sure? Brady and Morgan are already so big, we don't know anything of how our future selves tended to them as mere infants." Maribelle said, her tone returning to one of anxiousness. "What if we're not ready yet?"

Maribelle leaned forward and rested her head on her husband's bare chest. Robin put an arm around her and smiled.

"Do you know how I know we're ready?" the tactician asked causing Maribelle's brow to raise ever so slightly.

"It's because your going to be their mother, Maribelle. Look at you. You want everything to be the best for Brady and Morgan, even if it's just a silly model made in the sand." Robin said motioning his head over to Maribelle's castle back on the beach.

"You mean it?" asked Maribelle in almost a whisper.

"I do." Robin replied as he leaned down slightly and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead.

The couple continued to just stand there in the ocean and silence. The sun had started to shift slightly during the two's bonding. The two just letting the melody of the rolling waves and passing by gulls soothe their mood. Robin knew Maribelle was starting to feel calmer, she was still leaned against him, but more because they were both accustomed to comfort their bodies gave one another.

"Say… Remember how I purposed to you?" Robin ask as he tried to break the silence by reminding them of happier days.

"Of course. You put it in the bottom of teacup as a surprise." Recalled Maribelle, as a smile graced her lips. "I was caught between sheer joy of you asking for my hand and utter anger at you wearing away at such a beautiful ring."

Robin couldn't help but smile. There was the wonderful noble woman he married. He knew he was about to inherit a large responsibility with an upcoming child, but he didn't care. He was happy with his life, and knew that if future Brady and future Morgan were any indication, his children would turn out wonderful.

"Guess we won't be swimmin' in that water!" Replied a familiar gruff voice.

The couple turned back to the shore to see Brady and Morgan standing with an overflowing cooler of freshly caught fish. Morgan was scratching the back of her head with an unimpressed look on her face.

"That took way too long, bro. I thought you said you were great at fishing?" huffed Morgan

"I am! We woulda been done sooner if ya didn't try to shoot fireballs at the fish and burning' my line!" replied Brady, annoyed by his sister's antics.

Robin grimaced at his future children's behavior, he could even see Maribelle close her eyes and a let out a groan, but they both supposed that this was just what siblings did. Robin called on Brady to get the firewood and have Morgan light it so they could start eating.

The sun had fully begun to set, as the sky was dusted in a faint purple hue. The family had rolled out their towels and sat around the crackling fire. Brady and Morgan had their own towels to themselves, while Robin and Maribelle shared children weren't allowed to eat their fish off the bone like they would usually, given their mother's presence, which was why they bothered to bring dishware and cutlery to a beach in the first place.

"Cool castle!" Commented Morgan, finally noticing the castle that Maribelle had constructed today.

"Thank you, sweetheart. I made it myself." Maribelle said, feeling some pride well up in her at her daughter's compliment.

"Pa didn't help? Shitty thing to do, old man." said Brady, causing his father to itch the back of his head at the accusation.

"It's so good, I'm upset I don't have a spell that shrinks me down to get a better view. Unless…" Morgan said as her eyes shifted to her brother.

"Oh no! I'd rather have old lady Tharja hex me than let you play around with magic you don't even know!" defended Brady.

"Come on, I guarantee Dad would find a way to fix it!" protested Morgan.

"You don't even know if you could fix me!"

As the two bickered, Maribelle moved closer to Robin on their towel and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I really want this baby to come out quickly, dear." the curly haired noble said softly.

"Why? Afraid of another outburst?" the tactician said half jokingly as his eyes wandered from his future children to his tired wife.

"No." smiled Maribelle peacefully. "I just can't stop imagining how adorable those two were as babies..."

"Me too." replied Robin.

 _ **A/N: Thanks for reading this, and please PLEASE, if you enjoyed it favorite and leave a review, I'd greatly appreciate it.**_


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